Advancing Health Equity: The Role of a Community-Academic-Public Health-Practice (CAPP) Partnership in Addressing COVID-19 Disparities in Louisiana

We assessed the impact of an innovative Louisiana community-academic-public health-practice (CAPP) partnership in addressing COVID-19-associated Black-White vaccination disparities over 19 months. Initially (April 2021), the cumulative vaccinations for Black versus White Louisianans were 54 542 per 100 000 versus 62 435 per 100 000, respectively. By October 2022, cumulative vaccinations for Black versus White Louisianans were 142 437 per 100 000 versus 132 488 per 100 000, respectively. The vaccination equity score increased from 908 out of 1000 in April 2021 to 942 out of 1000 in October 2022. CAPP partnership efforts contributed to addressing initial Black-White COVID-19 vaccination disparities. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S1):S55-S58. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307509).

Effect of chronic disease on racial difference in COVID-19-associated hospitalization among cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Research indicates that Black cancer patients have higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalization than their White counterparts. However, the extent to which chronic diseases contribute to racial disparities remains uncertain. We aimed to quantify the effect of chronic diseases on racial disparity in COVID-19-associated hospitalization among cancer patients.

METHODS

We linked Louisiana Tumor Registry's data with statewide COVID-19 data and hospital in-patient discharge data to identify patients diagnosed with cancer in 2015-2019 who tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020 and those with COVID-19-associated hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation methods based on linear structural equations were employed to assess the effects of the number of chronic diseases (0, 1-2, ≥3) and individual chronic diseases.

RESULTS

Of 6381 cancer patients who tested positive for COVID-19, 31.6% were non-Hispanic Black cancer patients. Compared with non-Hispanic White cancer patients, non-Hispanic Black cancer patients had a higher prevalence of chronic diseases (79.5% vs 66.0%) and higher COVID-19-associated hospitalization (27.2% vs 17.2%). The odds of COVID-19-associated hospitalization were 80% higher for non-Hispanic Black cancer patients than non-Hispanic White cancer patients (odds ratio = 1.80, 95% confidence interval = 1.59 to 2.04). After adjusting for age, sex, insurance, poverty, obesity, and cancer type, number of chronic diseases explained 37.8% of the racial disparity in COVID-19-associated hospitalization, and hypertension, diabetes, and chronic renal disease were the top 3 chronic diseases explaining 9.6%, 8.9%, and 7.3% of the racial disparity, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Chronic diseases played a substantial role in the racial disparity in COVID-19-associated hospitalization among cancer patients, especially hypertension, diabetes, and renal disease. Understanding and addressing the root causes are crucial for targeted interventions, policies, and health-care strategies to reduce racial disparity.

Characteristics of JYNNEOS Vaccine Recipients Before and During a Large Multiday LGBTQIA+ Festival - Louisiana, August 9-September 5, 2022

Since May 2022, 27,558 monkeypox cases have been identified in the United States (1). Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) represent the most affected demographic group in the current multinational outbreak (2). As of October 18, 2022, Louisiana had reported 273 monkeypox cases with 187 (68.5%) among residents of the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Southeast Region, which includes the city of New Orleans (3).

Influence of volumetric loading rate on aerobic sewage treatment for indigenous algal growth

Many rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region are economically depressed. Rural sewage treatment in most areas of LAC is deficient or non-existent. Consequently, the possibility of generating economic revenue from treated sewage is an attractive option for deprived areas of developing countries. Given its peculiar characteristics, rural sewage may be coupled with biological systems such as algae for nutrient cycling. Acceptable algae growth and nutrient elimination were obtained from rural sewage whose treatment may have fallen short of current disposal standards. In this study, aerobic systems working on an 8-month cycle at three different volumetric loading rates (Bv) were assessed in relation to the lifetime growth of three algae strains native to Ecuador. Results indicate Chlorella sp. M2 as the optimal algal strain, with the highest growth rate at Bv of 1 g COD L^-1 d^{- 1} and a removal of organic-N (30%), PO₄ ^3--P (87%) and NH₄ ⁺-N (95%). Concomitantly, the kinetic constants of the sewage resulted in a low biomass yield coefficient, making the proposed system highly suitable for developing countries. Finally, the proposed partial recovery stream method, combining nutrient recovery with economic resource generation, appears to contain great potential.

Influence of Gastrointestinal Flora in the Treatment of Cancer with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

The author declares he has no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, pro-ducts, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manu-script met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers. Submitted: 4. 10. 2018 Accepted: 14. 10. 2018.

Characterization of the fungitoxic activity on Botrytis cinerea of the aristolochic acids I and II

The fungitoxic effect of aristolochic acids I and II on mycelial growth and conidial germination of Botrytis cinerea was analysed. Aristolochic acid I had a higher effect on mycelial growth of B. cinerea than aristolochic acid II with IC₅₀ value of 18·7 and 57·0 μg ml^-1 , respectively. These compounds did not affect the conidia germination. Also, the effect of both compounds on DNA and plasmatic membrane integrity of B. cinerea was studied. Only aristolochic acid II was able to cause damage to the integrity of the plasmatic membrane. When the fungus was incubated with a mixture of these compounds, degradation of DNA was observed. Finally, biotransformation products were not detected in the culture broth when B. cinerea was incubated in the presence of the aristolochic acids. Studies of structural characteristics that increase the antifungal effect of compounds against B. cinerea will permit to design new molecules to control this phytopathogenic fungus. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The fungitoxic effect on Botrytis cinerea of aristolochic acids I and II was characterized. The only structural difference among these compounds is a methoxy group at carbon 8. However, despite their structural similarity, the fungitoxic effect of aristolochic acid I was higher than the effect of aristolochic acid II. This result suggests that the methoxy group is important for the fungitoxic activity of these compounds on B. cinerea.

Future of Global Cancer From the Perspective of Young Oncology Leaders

Background: Oncology organizations and professional associations (OA) across the cancer control continuum have developed Young Leader (YL) programs to engage promising members of their organizations and to facilitate opportunities for their advancement. Although these groups share common aims, there has been little synergy across YL programs and limited understanding of the shared perspectives, experiences, and challenges of YLs. Aim: To understand the profile, activities and challenges facing YLs worldwide from the perspective of global cancer control. Methods: The survey was generated by a task force of YLs and was pilot-tested among 10 international physicians. The final survey was composed of four sections: baseline characteristics, challenges in cancer control, building a career in cancer control and networking in cancer control. The survey was sent out in 2018 to 867 people, who were identified as potential YLs by 7 OA, with 2 reminder e-mails within 2-4 weeks interval. The final responses were summarized using descriptive analysis method. Results: A total of 139 survey responses were received from 61 countries (per region - 38.4% Europe, 29.6% America, 22% Asia-Pacific, and 10% Africa). Median response rate was 62.2% (range 5%-100% per organizational group, overall 16%). The majority of respondents were < 39 years old (64%), female (53.6%), with a higher degree (Ph.D. 43.1%), and in academic positions (68.1%). Clinicians made up 65.2% of the sample, followed by researchers (20.2%), and advocacy leaders (5.1%). YLs believed that the most important priorities to the future of cancer control were 1) to make cancer care available globally (47.5%), 2) to provide value based cancer care (27.5%) and 3) to transform cancer care through technology (10.5%). To address these aims, 70% of YLs believed that the most important next step was to improve screening and early diagnosis. YLs identified the lack of financial resources (65.2%), increasing treatment costs (64.5%) and late diagnosis (61.6%) as important barriers to achieving these aims. YLs reported that their greatest obstacles to engaging in global cancer control were lack of funding (46%), lack of opportunities (42%) and toxic political/academic environments (46%). 70% reported that mentorship and network development followed by academic success (51.4%) and leadership training (42%) were the most important factors in support of their future goals. Conclusion: YL experience similar challenges and aspiration concerning global cancer control. The need to make cancer care available globally, and to receive mentorship and training were highlighted. Our findings also suggest that oncology groups should aim to ensure a global agenda, promote collaboration and mentorship and rediscuss program objectives to guarantee sustainability of current organizational plans and to better support the YLs’ future goals.

Maternal obesity increases insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation and osteochondrosis lesions in foals and yearlings until 18 months of age

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is a growing concern in horses. The effects of maternal obesity on maternal metabolism and low-grade inflammation during pregnancy, as well as offspring growth, metabolism, low-grade inflammation, testicular maturation and osteochondrotic lesions until 18 months of age were investigated.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-four mares were used and separated into two groups at insemination according to body condition score (BCS): Normal (N, n = 10, BCS ≤4) and Obese (O, n = 14, BCS ≥4.25). BCS and plasma glucose, insulin, triglyceride, urea, non-esterified fatty acid, serum amyloid A (SAA), leptin and adiponectin concentrations were monitored throughout gestation. At 300 days of gestation, a Frequently Sampled Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test (FSIGT) was performed. After parturition, foals' weight and size were monitored until 18 months of age with plasma SAA, leptin, adiponectin, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and cortisol concentrations measured at regular intervals. At 6, 12 and 18 months of age, FSIGT and osteoarticular examinations were performed. Males were gelded at one year and expression of genes involved in testicular maturation analysed by RT-qPCR.

RESULTS

Throughout the experiment, maternal BCS was higher in O versus N mares. During gestation, plasma urea and adiponectin were decreased and SAA and leptin increased in O versus N mares. O mares were also more insulin resistant than N mares with a higher glucose effectiveness. Postnatally, there was no difference in offspring growth between groups. Nevertheless, plasma SAA concentrations were increased in O versus N foals until 6 months, with O foals being consistently more insulin resistant with a higher glucose effectiveness. At 12 months of age, O foals were significantly more affected by osteochondrosis than N foals. All other parameters were not different between groups.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, maternal obesity altered metabolism and increased low-grade inflammation in both dams and foals. The risk of developing osteochondrosis at 12 months of age was also higher in foals born to obese dams.

Measles surveillance in Canada: 2015

BACKGROUND

Measles has been eliminated in Canada since 1998. Every year, the Public Health Agency of Canada presents epidemiologic evidence to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to verify that measles elimination continues in Canada.

OBJECTIVE

To describe measles activity in Canada for 2015 as updated evidence for continued measles elimination status.

METHODS

Measles surveillance data were captured by the Canadian Measles and Rubella Surveillance System (CMRSS) and the Measles and Rubella Surveillance (MARS) pilot project and assessed for distribution by demographics and risk factors. Outbreak characteristics were summarized and genotypic and phylogenetic analyses were conducted and described. Surveillance data for 2015 were evaluated against PAHO's essential criteria for measles elimination status.

RESULTS

In 2015, the incidence of measles in Canada was 5.5 cases per 1,000,000 population, with 196 cases across four provinces. The majority of cases (87.2%, n=171) were not immunized and both age-specific incidence rates and case counts were highest among those aged 10 to 14 years (29.5 cases per 1,000,000 population, n=55). This was due in large part to a sizeable outbreak in a non-immunizing religious community. Overall, 10.7% (n=21) of cases were hospitalized. Genotype information was available for 100% of measles events (4/4 outbreaks and 6/6 sporadic cases). Canada met or partially met most of PAHO's criteria for verification of measles elimination.

CONCLUSION

Although importations and areas of low immunization coverage continue to challenge Canada's elimination status, surveillance data for 2015 provides strong evidence that measles elimination has been maintained.

Mood disorder in epilepsy: A case report

Introduction

A lot of studies have described that up to 50% of patients with epilepsy develop psychiatric disorders: depression, anxiety and psychotic symptoms. We can classify these symptoms according to how they relate in time to seizure occurrence, i.e. pre-ictal/prodromal, ictal, post-ictal or inter-ictal. In this case, we have a 76 years old woman that develops a maniac-episode previously that she has an episode.

Objectives

Make a review about the prevalence, risk factors of psychiatric problem in epilepsy (biological, psychosocial and iatrogenic) and report of clinical case.

Methods

Review the bi-directional associations between epilepsy and bipolar disorder (epidemiological links, evidence for shared etiology, and the impact of these disorders) with a integrated clinical approach.

Results

Theoretically, epilepsy and bipolar disorder share an important number of clinical and neurobiological features. Classic neuropsychiatric literature focused on major depression with data on bipolar disorder remains limited. However, actually there are many evidences that mood instability, mixed irritability even mania is not uncommon in patients with epilepsy.

Conclusions

It is important develop more sensitive and specific screening instruments to identify mood disorder in epilepsy's patients. Future research becomes decisive for a better understanding of the similarities between epilepsy and BD, and the treatment of both.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Age-dependent expression of osteochondrosis-related genes in equine leukocytes

INTRODUCTION

Osteochondrosis (OC) is a developmental disease in horses which has a significant impact on the horse's welfare and performance. The early disturbance in the process of endochondral ossification progresses to inflammatory and repair processes in older horses. Previously, differentially expressed genes in leukocytes of OC-affected horses have been identified. The aim of the present study is to detect age-related changes in these differentially expressed genes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of OC-related genes was analysed by real-time PCR and subsequent statistical analysis (ΔΔCT) in the leukocytes of 135 Belgian Warmblood horses divided into three different age groups: <12 months (n=47), 18-24 months (n=50) >30 months (n=38).

RESULTS

Relative expression of genes of horses less than 12 months of age showed significant induction of the genes MGAT4A, PRKCG, MHCI, ApoB, ApoB3G, B4GALT6 and a significantly lower expression of the genes OAS3. Horses of 18-24 months of age, showed a significantly higher expression of the genes TBC1D9, MGAT4A, IFIH1, MHCIIa and MMP1. Horses of more than 30 months of age showed a significantly higher expression of the genes MGAT4A, HP, SECTM1 compared with their age-matched control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrates that OC-related genes are differentially expressed in horses of different ages compared with their age-matched controls. Some of the genes may be implicated in cell signalling and differentiation as well as carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and inflammation. However, the causal relationship between the differentially expressed genes and the development and progression of the OC lesions needs to be determined.

Dendritic cell vaccines against non-small cell lung cancer - an emerging therapeutic alternative

Many clinical trials have been carried out or are in progress to assess the therapeutic potential of dendritic cell-based vaccines on cancer patients. Herewith, we describe the clinical trials of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) published in the literature. Although the number of clinical trials and NSCLC patients enrolled in these studies is small, it is possible to conclude that the administration of dendritic cells (DCs) by any route is safe and that a clinical benefit after their administration can be observed. These initial results encourage continued investigation in clinical trials into the benefit of DCs along with different strategies to enhance their immune response in this deadly disease.

Phase 0 clinical trials will overcome stagnation of anticancer drug development?

Recent guidance from the US Food and Drug Administration supports the conduct of a new type of exploratory clinical trials, commonly called phase 0 clinical trials, on the development of innovative anticancer agents, particularly targeted agents. Phase 0 clinical trials are controversial mainly because of the lack of clinical benefit to the participant patients. However, it was recognized that Phase 0 clinical trials can provide a platform to assessing the biological effects on the targets in tumoral human samples, evaluate biomarkers for drug effects and to generate essential human pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data earlier in the drug development. It is expected that such trials will became a routine part of early-phase oncological drug development in the future.

Changes in gingival crevicular fluid inflammatory mediator levels during the induction and resolution of experimental gingivitis in humans

AIM

The goal of this study is to characterize the changes in 33 biomarkers within the gingival crevicular fluid during the 3-week induction and 4-week resolution of stent-induced, biofilm overgrowth mediated, experimental gingivitis in humans.

METHODS

Experimental gingivitis was induced in 25 subjects for 21 days followed by treatment with a sonic powered toothbrush for 28 days. Clinical indices and gingival crevicular fluids were collected weekly during induction and biweekly during resolution. Samples were analysed using a bead-based multiplexing analysis for the simultaneous measurements of 33 biomarkers within each sample including cytokines, matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) and adipokines. Prostaglandin-E(2) was measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbant assay. Statistical testing using general linear models with structured covariance matrices were performed to compare stent to contralateral (non-stent) changes in clinical signs and in biomarker levels over time.

RESULTS

Gingivitis induction was associated with a significant 2.6-fold increase in interleukin 1-beta (IL-beta), a 3.1-fold increase in IL-1alpha and a significant decrease in multiple chemokines as well as MMPs-1, -3 and 13. All changes in clinical signs and mediators rebounded to baseline in response to treatment in the resolution phase.

CONCLUSIONS

Stent-induced gingivitis is associated with marked, but reversible increases in IL-alphaa and IL-1beta with suppression of multiple chemokines as well as selected MMPs.

Search for the associated production of a b quark and a neutral supersymmetric Higgs boson that decays into tau pairs

We report results from a search for production of a neutral Higgs boson in association with a b quark. We search for Higgs decays to tau pairs with one tau subsequently decaying to a muon and the other to hadrons. The data correspond to 2.7 fb(-1) of pp collisions recorded by the D0 detector at square root(s)=1.96 TeV. The data are found to be consistent with background predictions. The result allows us to exclude a significant region of parameter space of the minimal supersymmetric model.

Search for the standard model higgs Boson in the ZH-->nunubb channel in 5.2 fb{-1} of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

A search is performed for the standard model Higgs boson in 5.2 fb{-1} of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV, collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The final state considered is a pair of b jets and large missing transverse energy, as expected from pp-->ZH-->nunubb production. The search is also sensitive to the WH-->lnubb channel when the charged lepton is not identified. For a Higgs boson mass of 115 GeV, a limit is set at the 95% C.L. on the cross section multiplied by branching fraction for [pp-->(Z/W)H](H-->bb) that is a factor of 3.7 larger than the standard model value, consistent with the factor of 4.6 expected.

Search for a resonance decaying into WZ boson pairs in pp collisions

We present the first search for an electrically charged resonance W' decaying to a WZ boson pair using 4.1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp collider. The WZ pairs are reconstructed through their decays into three charged leptons (l=e, mu). A total of 9 data events is observed in good agreement with the background prediction. We set 95% C.L. limits on the W'WZ coupling and on the W' production cross section multiplied by the branching fractions. We also exclude W' masses between 188 and 520 GeV within a simple extension of the standard model and set the most restrictive limits to date on low-scale technicolor models.

Search for Higgs boson production in dilepton and missing energy final states with 5.4 fb(-1) of pp collisions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson is presented using events with two charged leptons and large missing transverse energy selected from 5.4 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity in pp collisions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. No significant excess of events above background predictions is found, and observed (expected) upper limits at 95% confidence level on the rate of Higgs boson production are derived that are a factor of 1.55 (1.36) above the predicted standard model cross section at m(H) = 165 GeV.

Combination of Tevatron searches for the standard model Higgs boson in the W+W- decay mode

We combine searches by the CDF and D0 Collaborations for a Higgs boson decaying to W+W-. The data correspond to an integrated total luminosity of 4.8 (CDF) and 5.4 (D0) fb(-1) of pp collisions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. No excess is observed above background expectation, and resulting limits on Higgs boson production exclude a standard model Higgs boson in the mass range 162-166 GeV at the 95% C.L.

Direct measurement of the W boson width

We present a direct measurement of the width of the W boson using the shape of the transverse mass distribution of W --> enu candidate events. Data from approximately 1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity recorded at square root of s = 1.96 TeV by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp collider are analyzed. We use the same methods and data sample that were used for our recently published W boson mass measurement, except for the modeling of the recoil, which is done with a new method based on a recoil library. Our result, 2.028 +/- 0.072 GeV, is in agreement with the predictions of the standard model.

[Interpretation of proverbs and Alzheimer's disease]

AIM

To evaluate the performance of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the mild-moderate stage in a verbal material abstraction task that involves interpreting the implicit meaning of proverbs and sayings.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A qualitative-quantitative analysis was carried out of the performance of 30 patients with AD and 30 controls, paired by age, gender and level of education.

RESULTS

Patients had significantly greater difficulties than the controls when it came to interpreting proverbs. A high correlation was found between subjects' years of schooling and the overall score on the proverb interpretation test. Results suggest that the processes that may be predominantly affected in patients with AD are the investigation of the conditions of the problem, together with selecting an alternative and formulating a cognitive plan to resolve the task.

CONCLUSIONS

The results help to further our knowledge of the characteristics of performance of patients with AD in a test involving the interpretation of the implicit meaning of proverbs and also provide information about the processes that may be predominantly affected. Further research is needed, however, on this subject area in order to obtain more conclusive explanations.

Measurement of dijet angular distributions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV and searches for quark compositeness and extra spatial dimensions

We present the first measurement of dijet angular distributions in pp collisions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The measurement is based on a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.7 fb(-1) collected with the D0 detector. Dijet angular distributions have been measured over a range of dijet masses, from 0.25 TeV to above 1.1 TeV. The data are in good agreement with the predictions of perturbative QCD and are used to constrain new physics models including quark compositeness, large extra dimensions, and TeV(-1) scale extra dimensions. For all models considered, we set the most stringent direct limits to date.

Measurement of the WW production cross section with dilepton final states in pp collisions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV and limits on anomalous trilinear gauge couplings

We provide the most precise measurement of the WW production cross section in pp collisions to date at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV, and set limits on the associated trilinear gauge couplings. The WW-->lnul'nu (l, l' = e, mu) decay channels are analyzed in 1 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The measured cross section is sigma(pp --> WW) = 11.5+/-2.1(stat+syst)+/-0.7(lumi) pb. One- and two-dimensional 95% C.L. limits on trilinear gauge couplings are provided.

Measurement of the W boson mass

We present a measurement of the W boson mass in W-->e(nu) decays using 1 fb-1 of data collected with the D0 detector during Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron collider. With a sample of 499830 W-->e(nu) candidate events, we measure M(W)=80.401+/-0.043 GeV. This is the most precise measurement from a single experiment.